


Fight Club

by Aleanbh, Savior of the Citadel (Aleanbh)



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-20
Updated: 2014-09-20
Packaged: 2018-02-18 02:10:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2331347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aleanbh/pseuds/Aleanbh, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aleanbh/pseuds/Savior%20of%20the%20Citadel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The crew of the Normandy find a new past time: Gambling on various hand to hand match ups between crew members.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Initial Challenge

"So, Commander..." James began, a mischievous grin lighting up his face. "About what Wrex said earlier. You know, about you and the Major and who would win in a fight?"

  
Daedra glanced up from the report she had been reading, an eyebrow arched and nearly disappearing into her hairline. Kaidan was across the room, sprawled across one of the various couches in the lounge and he rolled his eyes at Vega's comment.

  
"Oh come on!" James went on, exasperated. "The two strongest human biotics on the ship? The first two human Spectres? You know that's a match everyone on this ship--hell, in the galaxy--would pay to see!"

  
"I'm sure they would," Kaidan drawled, sitting up and leaning forward. "Shepard and I have sparred on occasion, but nothing serious." His eyes flashed with amusement and Shepard smothered a grin by taking a sip of coffee. "Things tend to get broken if two biotics don't hold back."

  
"How about this, then," James said, undeterred. "Esteban and I will clear out the shuttle bay so you two don't have to worry about breaking anything." When Kaidan just stared at him, James smirked. "What? You don't want to get your ass kicked in front of a crowd?"

  
"Oh boy," Daedra muttered, setting her coffee down and rubbing a hand over her face. "You've done it now, Vega..." She saw Kaidan's mouth set into the line that usually preceded a nasty verbal lashing that could rival a drill instructor and stepped in before he could open his mouth. "Well, Alenko, if the crew wants a show why don't we entertain for the evening?"

  
Kaidan's glare turned from Vega to her. "You're joking, right?"

  
"Not at all," she replied easily, turning her omnitool off and standing up to stretch. "It's not every day you get to just...let loose, you know?" Daedra's eyes held an obvious challenge. "They just gave me a new amp and I could use the chance to test it out."

  
He stared at her for a few moments more before sighing and burying his face in his hands. "Alright, alright." Kaidan's head snapped up, eyes skewering James. "And Vega? You might want to get Jack's help biotic proofing the shuttle bay. Something tells me we'll have quite a crowd."

  
James looked as though Christmas had come early as he charged out of the room.


	2. Biotic Barrage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sentinel Kaidan Alenko vs Vanguard Commander Shepard

                As Kaidan had predicted, a sizable crowd had gathered to watch the match, including Joker and an excited Wrex.  The entire crew seemed to be determined to cram themselves into the small space Jack had deemed a safe zone and there was a low murmur of excitement.  Daedra and Kaidan exited the elevator at the same time, the sea of people parting to allow them through to the makeshift arena.

                Daedra had to admit she was looking forward to this.  Jack had placed biotic dampeners around the perimeter, ensuring that while the dark energy would have full strength inside, it would die out before reaching any  of the spectators.  The actual ring they were expected to fight in was nothing more than just a cleared out space in the hangar with a few crates scattered here and there for cover. 

                "So who's betting on Shepard?" Joker asked dryly as the clamor eventually quieted.  "Anyone willing to take a chance on the underdog, one Major Alenko?  Going once!  Twice!"

                Jack smirked, watching Kaidan and Shepard stretch.  "I'll take a bet on Alenko.  Those L2 implants can be nasty when overcharged." 

                Joker grinned, taking the credit chit she handed him before moving on to take other pledges.

                Finally the two biotics stood face to face, the height difference made even more obvious by Shepard's lack of combat boots.  While in full armor the two Alliance soldiers were roughly the same size, but without them Daedra was now a good head shorter than the Major, giving him a sizable reach advantage. They had both agreed to take their shoes off since they would need as much traction as they could get with the metallic floor.  The steel plates under Daedra's toes were freezing and she hopped a few times, trying to get blood flowing back into them.

                "Alright, you two ready?"  Jacob asked.  When they had both nodded their assent, he stepped into the safety zone before shouting, "The Vanguard versus the Sentinel, round one!  Fight!"

                Kaidan's barrier snapped into place seconds before Shepard's charge connected, yet the impact still had his teeth rattling in his skull.  He tried to get her into a grapple, determined to end the fight quickly, but Daedra squirmed out of his reach, her fingers tracing a warp mnemonic.  The blast shot past his head before striking Jack's biotic proof wall and fizzling out.  The crowd had collectively drawn in a breath that was released in relief.

                "Give me some credit," Jack snapped.

                Kaidan and Daedra had put some distance between them, slowly circling the other while looking for weaknesses.  After a few tense moments, Daedra charged again and immediately detonated her shields, the Nova tearing away the major's barrier.  When Kaidan stumbled, Shepard's leg hooked around one of his calves before she wrapped an arm around his waist and used his own weight against him to slam him into the ground.  The crowd erupted into cheers and exasperated curses, some shouting for Kaidan to get up while others cheered Shepard on.

                Kaidan was on his feet before Daedra could get an arm around his neck, a shockwave throwing her back despite her own barriers.  Her eyes were glowing with her biotics and she smiled.  Before she could charge again, Kaidan's fingers traced the Reave mnemonic and the Commander's eyes narrowed when she felt his biotics eating away at her barrier.

                "Well, aren't you full of surprises?" she said before her hand shot out, another biotic blast hurtling towards him.

                He wasn't fast enough to avoid this one, and was instead thrown across the room.  The room erupted into cat calls and shouting, but Kaidan ignored it and instead took shelter behind one of the nearby crates to catch his breath.  A pulse of pain had started behind his eyes, yet he shoved it to the side in order to focus on the sound of Shepard's bare feet padding across the floor.  _Six paces, five paces, four..._

                On three he snapped his barriers back into place before sliding out from behind the crate, a leg sweeping out towards Daedra's unprotected legs.  She yelped, trying to backpedal away but was too slow.  His legs tangled in hers, and she was flat on her back in seconds, the major's forearm pressed against her throat.  Kaidan's eyes were glowing as he panted for breath, a smug smirk on his face.

                "Looks like I win this round too, _Commander_ ," he whispered, leaning down so that his breath tickled the shell of her ear.  "Joker's going to be so disappoint--"

                His taunt was cut off when her barriers erupted, sending him halfway across the room once again.  For a moment, Kaidan could only lay there groaning as the pressure behind his eyes turned into the sharp stabbing pains that foreshadowed a migraine.  The crowd was eerily silent, and once he managed to lift his head more than a centimeter off the floor, he saw why.

                Only a select few of the crew had ever really seen Shepard like this, in the midst of battle and completely in her element.  Her face was flushed, the flaming tendrils of her hair flowing about her face and down her back in gentle waves as she watched Kaidan.  One could almost _see_ the dark energy that rippled through and around her, tiny sparks of blue flitting out from her fingertips as she idly traced various mnemonics, waiting to see what he would do.  Her eyes were especially bright now, with her implant overcharged and her body a perfect eezo conduit. 

                _Well, I'm going to regret this later regardless,_ he thought to himself, the pain alternating between pulsing and stabbing.  _Time to take the kid gloves off._

Kaidan peeled himself up off the floor, exaggerating an exhausted stagger onto one knee before stubbornly standing.  Daedra's eyes softened immediately, and for a second he felt a slight pang of guilt for what he was about to do.  When she opened her mouth to ask if he was alright, he waited until she took a step forward and reached out towards him when he didn't answer immediately.  Kaidan lashed out abruptly, grabbing her wrist and jerking her into his arms before overloading his implant, element zero surging from his body into hers.

                Daedra's nails dug into his arms as she shrieked in pain.  When she started to thrash, he kept his grip tight even when her eyes flared in fury.  Despite the pain he knew she had to be in, Daedra managed to focus enough energy for another Nova that broke his hold.  Staggering back, she wiped her nose with the back of her hand and it came away wet with blood.  Kaidan felt the familiar sensation of blood trickling down his face as well, but didn't even bother to wipe it away.

                "Hold it!" Vega's yell broke the pregnant pause between the two combatants, and everyone turned to look at him.  He was standing on one of the crates in the safe zone, his arms raised.  "This is gonna take forever at this rate...or you'll both wind up dead from some kinda biotic induced stroke."

                "Yeah, you two need a break by the looks of it," Joker said, grinning.  "But _very_ impressive display!"

                "Oh for shit's sake!" Jack yelled, glowering at the flight lieutenant.  " _Now_ you call for a break?  Alenko had maybe five more minutes, if that, before he had her out flat!"

                Garrus coughed something that sounded suspiciously like _Bullshit!_ and Liara had to cover her mouth to hide her smile. 

Daedra sat down while they argued, the heels of her hands pressing against her eyes and the crowd clamoring behind them.  Kaidan settled down next to her, gently bumping her with his shoulder in sympathy, his own head feeling as though it were going to split open any minute.  Tali skirted past the dampeners, two juice boxes and some energy bars in her hands, and sat down with them while they ate.

                "You're an angel," Shepard said, her voice hoarse from screaming.  Glancing up at Kaidan, she gave him a weary smile.  "And you're a jackass for that biotic bear hug."  He laughed when she shuddered in remembered pain.  "I'm starting to regret agreeing to this.  I don't suppose there's a way I could convince you to call it a draw?"

                "Not a chance," he replied easily, dabbing at the blood spotting his lip with his sleeve.  "I do have a reputation to keep up, you know."

                "Well, about that," Tali interrupted, sounding absolutely gleeful.  "There's been some chatter while you two were busy fighting and someone mentioned having a tag team set up."

                Kaidan groaned while Shepard brightened in interest.  "Oh? Do tell."

                "Well, James argued that it's pretty obvious you're both evenly matched physically and biotically," the quarian went on.  "So he suggested changing the stakes a bit: You and the Major against two crew mates of the crowd's choosing."

                "Wrex included?" Daedra asked immediately, her face draining of color. 

                Tali laughed so hard that Kaidan thought she was going to asphyxiate.

                "No, Wrex graciously abstained when it was brought up," she said after calming down.  The two humans relaxed visibly and that sent her into another laughing fit.  "But this means James, Garrus, Liara, Jack, Javik, and Jacob are still fair game."

                "Guess it would have been too much to hope Joker would volunteer," Kaidan muttered before finishing off his juice.  "I should be glad EDI didn't either.  I wouldn't want flashbacks or anything."

                "Beautiful..." Daedra muttered before taking another hunk out of her energy bar.  "I'm willing to put money down on it being either Garrus and Javik or Jack and James."

                Kaidan chewed as he considered the potential match ups.  "I wouldn't put it past the crew to set us up against Liara and Jack."  Swallowing, he glanced over at the crowd.  "We wouldn't be able to do much before we're ass over tea kettle from one of their singularities."

                "Yeah, Vega wasn't exactly right when he called _us_ the most powerful human biotics," Daedra said, standing and trying to peek over and see who they'd be up against.  "Jack would have ripped him a new asshole if she'd overheard that."

                Once they had polished off their juice and snacks, they made their way over to the crowd who still seemed to be arguing on the perfect match up.

                "Archangel and a Prothean!" Wrex was shouting.  "I'm putting money on this, so I'd like to _guarantee_ a win rather than a good show!"

"I'd have to go with Wrex on this one," Joker said, leaning against EDI who had a supportive arm around his waist.  "I'm open to suggestions, but...yeah, at the end of the day I'd like to have some credits for the bar."

                After a few more minutes of haggling and argument, a vote went up.  The crowd unanimously voted for Javik, but the second member of the tag team took much longer.  It was eventually narrowed down between James, Garrus, and Jack.  Once Jack had declined, it was down to the turian and marine.

                James frowned, shifting uncomfortably. 

                "Well," he began, rubbing the back of his neck.  "I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a stake in this cause uh...yeah, I'm betting on Javik.  Besides, Garrus has a ton more reach than I do."

                Garrus smirked, leaning down and starting to take off his boots.  "Alright, alright," he drawled, tossing the boots up against the elevator.  "I always place my bets on Shepard, even if it's against myself."  Glancing at Daedra, he winked.  "I've seen her in action way too many times to ever do anything else.  Plus Kaidan's a spirits damned terror if someone hurts our lovely Commander."

                "Alright, so it's decided!" Daedra called out once she was finished laughing.  "Major Alenko and I against Archangel and Javik."

                The Prothean didn't seem particularly thrilled with being asked to put on a show for the primitives, but he joined Garrus in the ring regardless.  The two aliens looked much smaller without their usual armor, yet they still had a good size advantage on the slighter humans.  Garrus double checked his talons, making sure there weren't any jagged edges that could accidentally injure and Javik closed his eyes for a few moments in meditation.  When his eyes opened once again, Daedra saw the familiar look that he had when a Reaper was in his sights.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the abrupt cut off. I didn't exactly write this with chapter endings in mind, but I'm working with what I have.


	3. Archangel and the Avatar of Vengeance vs the Sentinel and the Vanguard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Garrus and Javik go up against Shepard and Kaidan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the last part of this this I've already written. I'll probably write another few matchups, but at the moment I don't have any matches in mind. If anyone wants to see something in particular, leave a comment and I'll do my best to make it happen. :)

                Jack made the rounds, checking the dampeners before settling back on her crate and nodding over to Jacob.  Once Shepard and Kaidan had finished their amp checks, he stepped back into the safe zone.  "Round two!"

                Before Javik could hone in on Kaidan, Daedra charged him and shoved him back with a flurry of blows.  Kaidan reacted immediately, he and Garrus clashing together in a tangle of blue as Kaidan sought to remove Garrus' reach advantage.  His barrier easily deflected the turian's talons, but it didn't do much to dampen the raw power in Garrus' strikes.  Glancing over, Kaidan made the mistake of letting himself be distracted when he saw Javik advancing on Daedra, the Prothean's attacks vicious and unforgiving.  Garrus took advantage of the diversion, a thick plated fist smashing into the side of the human's face. 

                "That's what you get for not trusting her," the turian said simply, stepping back to give Kaidan a chance to recover.  His eyes were stern, his mandibles flaring in irritation.  "Make that mistake on the field, you're dead.  Then she'll be dead soon after."

                Daedra was holding her own against Javik, even if it was a near thing.  The Prothean had a wiry strength about him, not to mention his powerful jade biotics.  After the first glancing blow he dealt her had her seeing stars, Shepard changed tactics to quick hit and run attacks.  Her charge would bring her within striking range before he could react, and she was able to dart out of his reach before he was able to recover. 

                _You're being a pest Commander,_ Javik snarled in his native tongue, watching her warily.  His voice was edged with barely restrained contempt.  _Fight me like the warrior I know you are._

                _I'd love to,_ she replied in kind, circling him.  He stayed where he was, turning to keep both pairs of eyes trained on her at all times.  _Unfortunately, you have a nice hard carapace that keeps your brains from being bashed in.  I, on the other hand, am regrettably quite fragile without my armor._

"Shepard, watch out!" Kaidan suddenly shouted.

                With instincts born of countless missions together, Daedra immediately created a biotic orb around her that Garrus smashed into a second later.  The turian snarled, his claws ripping at the blue shell that had sprung up around her, and she hissed when Javik began to slam his fists against it as well.  Glancing over, she saw Kaidan sagged against one of the storage crates, blood trickling down from his hairline and a nasty bruise forming on the left side of his face.  His eyes were closed tightly, and Daedra knew he was fighting against what had to have been a monster migraine.

                "Two on one is hardly fair," she spat, sweat trickling down her face at the effort to maintain the barrier.  Distantly, she could hear Joker and Wrex shouting at one another.  "If that's how you want to play, then _so be it!_ "

                Daedra unleashed the built up energy of her barrier, shoving the two away from her.  When Garrus crouched, readying to lunge at her, she threw a singularity at him and felt a sense of satisfaction at the turian's high pitched screech.  He was lifted unceremoniously off the ground, limbs flailing as he tried to maneuver himself upright with no success.

                Unfortunately, Daedra had spent a few seconds too long on dealing with Garrus.  Javik's arm snapped around her throat, easily lifting the slighter human up before she could do much more than shout in alarm. 

                "Prothy the Prothean for the win!"  Joker called out.  "Better get ready to pay up, Wrex!"

                _I fail to see why you insist on taking_ that _human with you for every mission,_ Javik snarled next to her ear.  Daedra could hear the naked disdain in his voice, and despite the spots that had started the dance of impending unconsciousness, she bucked against him to little effect.  _He does nothing more than hold you back._

_You're wrong,_ she managed to hiss in Prothean.  Her nails dug into Javik's arm, hard enough to draw blood, and she took grim satisfaction in the alien's grunt of discomfort.  "Kaidan!"

                Daedra felt Javik stiffen at the same time she felt the eezo crawling over his skin, holding him firmly in stasis.  Kaidan had managed to get to his feet, leaning heavily against the shipping container, his left hand outstretched and his eyes blazing blue as he held the Prothean immobile.  Daedra managed to jerk forward and get her feet on the ground before hurling Javik over her shoulder and onto the floor with a resounding thud.  Her omniblade was out and at Javik's throat when Kaidan dropped the stasis field, slumping back onto the ground in exhaustion.

                Javik's eyes were narrowed in grudging respect.  _I yield._

                Retracting the blade, she reached down and helped pull the Prothean to his feet before carelessly tracing the singularity mnemonic.  Garrus fell into an undignified heap once the biotic field had dispersed before getting to his feet, grumbling.  Daedra smirked and gave him a pat on the back that he bore with good humor.

                "I tried to warn you, Javik," Garrus said, his mandibles flared in a turian grin.  "Kaidan's tougher than he looks."

                "So I see."  Javik's tone was icy, yet he moved to help Kaidan stand.

                _That's why he's always by my side,_ Daedra said in Prothean, grinning.  _I say jump, he doesn't have to ask how high._

Javik snorted, shaking his head.  _Human mating rituals are far too complex.  In my cycle, I remember--_

"Okay then!" Daedra called, her face turning red.  "Losers pay up, winners enjoy your bragging rights, and Joker--get us to a bar ASAP."

                "Aye aye, ma'am."

**Author's Note:**

> This is just something I started when I was in a creative writing class last semester. More than anything, it was practice with action scenes since I've always had trouble with pacing. Hope you enjoy!


End file.
